Rec Room Stories
by Roslin Fan
Summary: Lee and Kara share some downtime in the rec room when the arrival of Commander Adama shifts the dynamic...


Kara was out of hack; she'd managed to stay out of there in the weeks since the worlds ended. The sudden onslaught made minor infractions, like striking superior assholes, as she called it, less important in the long run. They needed pilots, and Starbuck was the best they had-even Lee couldn't deny that. She was difficult to manage, but as CAG, there was no one he wanted by his side more.

Lee was just glad they were friends again, her "confession" notwithstanding. For the first time since before Zak died, they could drink together, talking just like old times. In those moments, the costs of war didn't seem so bad. Maybe they were hardened to it, better prepared for the losses after Zak. After all, he'd proven accidents could happen as easily in peacetime as they could during war. Lee wasn't ready, though, and in spite of what Kara had once said, he didn't believe she was either. He still had a vague hope they'd survive somehow. The President would lead them to a new home, and he could finally hang up his uniform like he was supposed to after his final tour.

In the meantime, they flew their Vipers, caught rack time when they could, and drank-whether to forget or to remember, he wasn't sure.

"Do you ever think of him?" Kara asked.

He nodded. "All the time."

"Me too. What do you think he'd be doing if he were here?"

He smirked. "Besides you, you mean?" She rolled her eyes, but there was a smile there too. He shrugged. "Dunno. He wasn't much of a pilot."

"No, he wasn't. He could be a communications officer, though."

"Yeah. A stay-at-home-husband for your kids, while you fly in your Viper and save the fleet again and again."

She looked down at her glass. "We wouldn't have children."

He sensed the change in her. "Did he know that?"

She shook her head. "He didn't live long enough."

"But you were getting married. Wouldn't you have talked about-"

"We weren't big talkers."

Lee shook his head, remembering how they'd been together. They were a very tactile couple. He'd never seen Zak like that with anyone before Kara, and he didn't imagine Kara was like that with anyone else either. She'd let Zak in when she was closed off to everyone else-closed off to Lee.

Maybe the accident had something to do with it. Losing the first person she'd ever really loved couldn't have been easy. He was sorry he didn't empathize with her more when she needed him-when it mattered. He'd been so caught up in his own grief and anger, he couldn't handle hers too. If he'd made an effort, the last two years of their lives could have been so different: It wouldn't have taken a war to bring them together like this.

He raised his glass. "To old times," he said.

She raised hers, and they took a shot. And another. She looked like she was going to say something when she turned to look at the opened hatch. She came to attention, and Lee knew, without looking, who was standing there. Kara Thrace only respected one man in the worlds-his father, Commander Adama. Lee begrudgingly came to attention too. He really didn't feel like having a heart-to-heart with the Old Man tonight.

"As you were," Commander Adama said. He gestured to their table. "Mind if I join you? I could use a drink after today."

Lee hoped he managed not to groan. There wasn't much he could say to keep the Old Man away, so he might as well deal with it. It wasn't just a drink the Commander was after: He could get that in his quarters. He wanted to be with them.

Kara jumped at the opportunity. She handed him a shot glass and the bottle. "Lee and I had a bunch before you got here, Old Man. You gotta catch up."

The Commander smiled. Lee wasn't sure what annoyed him more: Kara's enthusiasm or the Old Man's comfort around her. He'd never been that comfortable with Lee, but he could have a conversation with any member of his crew, share drinks with Kara, and give her that smile. He couldn't remember seeing his father smile many times in his life. It seemed he graced Kara with it regularly. Lee felt like an interloper at his own table-in his own rec room. He worked through ways he could make an exit without causing a problem: He wasn't currently fighting with his father, and he wanted to keep it that way.

.

.

.

Bill sensed his son's discomfort immediately. After the day he had, he wanted to be with the two people he loved most in the worlds. Kara, as always, was happy to see him. He knew she valued the moments they'd spent in his quarters sharing drinks, stories, and laughter, as much as he did. It was so easy to talk to her-and so much fun to listen as she spoke. The more she drank the better her stories got. He needed to hear her stories and laughter tonight. He needed to share those moments with Lee too. Like the family they were-should have always been.

Lee was pulling away. Bill could already hear the excuses he'd use: early morning, reports, advisement duties for the President. Bill put his hand on Lee's shoulder. "How's it going?" he asked.

It wasn't too smooth, but it was a start.

"I'm all right, sir. Thanks for asking."

Bill watched his son attempt to transition into making his exit. He was about to say something else when Kara spoke.

.

.

.

The frakker was gonna leave again. Why wouldn't he just stick around and talk to the Old Man? Even she knew it was what they both needed.

"Did I ever tell you about the first time I was in hack?" she asked, knowing Adama had heard the story before. She hoped he'd keep his mouth shut.

Lee turned from his father to her. "This I have to hear."

She caught Adama's wink before she began her story. It was a shame there were so many years between them; he'd make an awesome wingman.


End file.
